Washfountain



Dec. 27, 1960 U T ET AL 2,965,906

WASHFOUNTAIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 6, 1958 FIG.

INVEN A? TOR.S

Dec. 27, 1960 MULLETT ET AL 2,965,906

WASHFOUNTAIN 2 Sheets-sh 2 Filed Feb. 6, 1958 United States Patent 2,965,906 WASHFOUNTAIN Howard Mullett and Robert J. Booker, Milwaukee,

Wis., assignors to Bradley Washfountain Co., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Feb. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 713,602 3 Claims. (Cl. 4-170) The invention relates to washfountains and more particularly to washfountains which may be used by more than one person at a time.

The main object of the invention is to provide a washfountain which can be readily installed for use either for adults, intermediates, or juveniles, in which for any given use the operating foot pedal while carried by the housing may be readily adjusted relative thereto so that it always bears the same height relationship relative to the floor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washfountain having a housing formed of separable sections, the main sections of which are supported at their upper portion by the washbasin and providing a wide front opening to render the plumbing portions of the fixture readily accessible and having a removable cover section for this opening removably mounted between a front wall of the basin and adjacent parts of the main section and removably connected at its lower end to a bottom cover section.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter described and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a washfountain embodying the invention, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the washfountain;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the washfountain;

Fig. 4 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line '44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detailed plan view of certain of the parts as seen looking along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a detailed front elevational view of the foot pedal and its mounting; I

Fig. 8 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line 8-,8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is adetailed vertical sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 2;

Fig. IQ is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line 10- 10 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken throughthe lower cover plate in a plane indicated at 11-11 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 12 and Fig. 13 are views similar to Figs. 10 and 11 showing certain modifications;

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view of the fountain structure indicating height changes;

Fig. 15 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line 15-15 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 15 designates a washbasin having a peripheral depending flange portion 16, an inner peripheral surface portion 17 from which the basin proper depends and having the usual drain opening 18 connected with a drain pipe 19 which is shown as going through the wall of the room in which the structure is installed.

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A spray head 20 similar to that of U.S. Patent No. 2,525,932, dated October 17, 1950, has spray openings 21 to direct water radially thereof to different portions of the basin 15 and is supplied with tempered water from a supply pipe 22, passage of water through which is controlled by a foot controlled valve 23 of known form. A mixing valve 26 of any suitable or known construction supplies the desired amount of Water to the valve 23 past a regulating and shut off valve 25 of known form. The part 24 is the outlet of the valve 26 which has a cold water supply inlet 27 and a hot water supply inlet connection 28. The valves 25 and 26 are usually adjusted to meet operating conditions while the valve 23 which is usually of the pilot valve controlled type (see U.S. Patent No. 2,398,149, dated April 9, 1946) has the stem 29 of the pilot valve extended exteriorly to a point where it may be engaged and operated by the foot control hereinafter described. The pipes 27 and 28 extend through the room wall W in a predetermined position. I

The washbasin '15 is hung from the wall either by direct connected screw mountings as by screws 30 anchored to the wall and passing through bushed openings 31 in the basin as indicated in Fig. 12 or by brackets 32 connected at one end by screws 33 passing through bushed openings 34 in the basin and connected at their other ends by screws 35 anchored in the wall as shown in Fig. 10. I

The height of the basin 15 above the floor depends upon the use to which the basin is to be put, that is, whether it is to be used by adults (standard height) or persons of intermediate height or juveniles, and upon this use will depend the location of the screws 30 or the screws 35 in the wall.

The valves and plumbing fixtures below the basin are enclosed in a housing formed of separable sections. Two of the sections 36 and 36a are sheet metal plates curved to conform to the curvature of the flange portion 16 of thebasin 15 and preferably conically tapering downwardly, the section 36 being a right hand section and the section 3611 a left hand section. Each section 36 or 36a terminates at the back beyond the rear corner of the basin and at its front about half way of this side of the basin as shown in Fig. 1 to provide a wide opening 37 between these sections. Each of the sections 36 or 36a is hung from the flanged rim or portion 16 of the basin by providing an upper marginal angled flange portion 38 that fits up against the lower edge of the rim portion 16 as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 and which is securely held to said basin by front screws 39 passing through holes in the rim portion 16 into threaded engagement with the back portion of the flange 38 and spaced at suitable distances along this rim and screw bolts 40 at the back passing through holes in said rim portion 16 and the back portion of the flange 38. A covering bead strip 41 conceals the heads of the screws 39 while at the back the screws 40 pass through openings in this strip to anchor it in place.

j, The housing also includes a metal bottom plate 42 which is of a contour similar to that of "the basin but of smaller area and having a flanged back 43 adapted to receive wall anchors such as the screws 44 passing through bushed openings 45 in the flange 44 and anchored in the wall W as shown in Fig. 13 or longer screw bolts 46 passing through hushed openings 47 in the flange 43 and anchored in the wall W as shown in Fig. 11 when the basin is supported out from the wall by the brackets 32.

The plate 42 also has a centrally disposed elongated slot 48 and may also have holes (not shown) to permit the pipes 27, '28, and 19 coming up into the housing from the floor. As indicated in Fig. 15, the sides of theplate 42 have angled flange edges 49 providing laterally extending ledges 50 to which inwardly extending flanges 51 on the lower edges of the sections 36 or 36a are secured by screws 52, one being indicated. At its front central portion the plate 42 has an upturned flange 53.

A sheet metal cover plate 54, curved to conform to the curvatures of the rim portion 16 land the similarly curved flange 53 at the front of the bottom plate 42 and tapering to conform to the differences in area of the basin and the bottom plate 42, is adapted to cover the opening formed between the basin and the bottom plate 42 and the sections 36 and 36a.

For securing the cover plate 54 at its upper end, its offset edge portion 55 is held between the inner surface of the rim 16 and an offset projection 56 on each section 36 or 36a as indicated in Fig. 5. The remaining offset portion 55 of the plate 54 engages the inner side of the rims. The plates 36 and 36a also have front flanges 51a to receive screws 52a anchored in the plate 42 and may be reinforced by an edge flange 57.

The sides of the slot 48 include upstanding side flanges 58 to the forward portions of which the sides of channel forming bracket 59 are lengthwise adjustably secured by screws 60, there being three spaced sets of screw holes 61 formed in these sides with the screws 60 passing through the upper set of holes for the lowest adjustment of the bracket as shown in Fig. 4. At its lower end the face of the web of the bracket is cut out and a pivot pin 62 extends through the side of the channel below this cut out portion. A lever 63 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the pin 62 and has a foot pedal portion 64 formed on its lower arm and a valve actuator portion 65 formed on its upper arm. The portion 65 is adapted to engage the head of a screw 66 which is adjustably mounted in the end of the valve stem 29 which is limited in its off position movement by a stop pin 67 on said stem engageable with a part of the valve guide as shown in Fig. 4.

Where the basin is mounted on the wall for use by persons of intermediate height, the intermediate height, the intermediate dotted line position shown in Fig. 14, the screws 60 pass through the intermediate set of holes 61 in the bracket 59, while for the juvenile mounting, the lower dotted line position shown in Fig. 14, the screws 60 pass through the lower set of holes in the bracket 59. Thus whatever the height of the basin, the foot pedal 64 is always at substantially the same height from the floor.

A metal strut 68 secured by screws 69 to the upper portion of the bracket 59 has an opening to receive the shank of the manually controlled valve member of the valve 25 to act as a brace for said bracket.

With the above construction, downward pressure on the foot pedal 64 swings the lever 63 to open the pilot valve 29 to effect in known manner the opening of the valve supplying the tempered water to the pipe 22 and the sprayhead 20.

We desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations are included in the appended claims.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. In a washfountain having a washbasin with mounting brackets extending therefrom and a water supply conduit extending upwardly to the washbasin with an inlet beneath the basin, the combination comprising a valve connected to the inlet of said conduit, said valve having an operating stern projecting therefrom; an enclosure extending downwardly from said washbasin which extends around said valve and conduit; a foot operated lever for said valve which lever includes a foot pedal, a valve stem engaging portion facing said stem and movable against the same, and a connecting portion intermediate said foot pedal and the valve engaging portion; and a support secured to said enclosure with mounting means therefor which are vertically adjustable for alternative vertical positioning of the support, the connecting portion of said lever being pivotally mounted on said support, with the foot pedal thereof elevated above the floor to permit depression thereof, whereby by adjusting said support a desired vertical distance between said lever and the floor may be maintained for any mounting height of the washbasin.

2. In a washfountain the combination comprising a basin; a housing extending downwardly from the basin and enclosing the area beneath the basin; a bracket supported by said housing having mounting means with a plurality of attachment positions that may be alternatively selected for connection with said housing whereby the bracket is vertically adjustable with respect to said housing; water inlet fixtures for said basin including valve means supported within said housing, said valve means having a projecting operating stem; an extension for said bracket engaging said inlet fixtures, thereby positioning said valve means with respect to the bracket; and a foot operated lever including a valve stem engaging portion movable against said valve stem, a foot pedal arranged to be depressed and a connecting portion intermediate said valve stem engaging portion and said foot pedal, the connecting portion of said lever being pivotally mounted on said bracket whereby actuation of said lever causes operation of said valve means.

3. In a washfountain the combination comprising a basin having mounting brackets extending therefrom and a depending peripheral rim; a water supply conduit leading upwardly to said basin with an inlet beneath the basin; a valve connected to said inlet, said valve having a projecting operating stem; a lever operatively engageable with the valve; and a housing extending downwardly from the basin and enclosing the conduit and valve which includes a bottom plate spaced below said basin, right and left hand side sections joined between the basin rim and bottom plate with spaced inner sides that define a central opening therebetween and each having an offset projection extending from its inner side that is spaced inwardly of the basin rim, and a center panel having an upper margin inserted between said projections and said rim, a lower margin connected to the bottom plate and side margins engaging sides of the right and left hand side sections to cover said central opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,270,239 Cushman I an. 20, 1942 2,293,544 Heine et al Aug. 18, 1942 2,498,699 Mullett et a1 Feb. 28, 1950 2,542,046 Mullett et al Feb. 20, 1951 

